swine

noun

plural swine
1
: any of various stout-bodied short-legged omnivorous artiodactyl mammals (family Suidae) with a thick bristly skin and a long flexible snout
especially : a domesticated one descended from the wild boar
2
: a contemptible person

Examples of swine in a Sentence

you really are a swine—you have no sense of decency at all!
Recent Examples on the Web While Indiana used to have a big feral swine problem, there currently are no known populations in the state at this time. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Feb. 2024 Those swine trials that Macchiarini claimed were completed? Vulture, 21 Dec. 2023 Marco’s cynicism about humanity from his wartime exploits and early piloting years is what seems to have caused his swine transformation. Maya Phillips, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2023 Feral swine have been reported in at least 35 states, according to the USDA. CBS News, 22 Nov. 2023 About 20 minutes later, the volunteers and the police were finally able to herd the swine into a dog crate, police said. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 21 June 2023 Minnesota is among the states trying to prevent the swine from taking hold. CBS News, 22 Nov. 2023 The swine has taken the bait at both locations, based on a video of him chowing down around the yard, hoof imprints near the food, and evidence of his poop in the barn — but Kevin Bacon has yet to be captured. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 20 Oct. 2023 The Manheim Township Police Department received numerous calls regarding the fugitive swine before officers finally were able to track it down Thursday morning to a home in Lancaster County, the department said in a post on its website. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 21 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'swine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English swīn; akin to Old High German swīn swine, Latin sus — more at sow

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of swine was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near swine

Cite this Entry

“Swine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swine. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

swine

noun
plural swine
1
: any of a family of stout-bodied short-legged hoofed mammals with a thick bristly skin and a long snout
especially : a domestic animal developed from the European wild boar and raised for meat
2
: a nasty person

Medical Definition

swine

noun
: any of various stout-bodied short-legged mammals (family Suidae) with a thick bristly skin and a long mobile snout
especially : a domesticated member of a species (Sus scrofa) that occurs wild in the Old World

More from Merriam-Webster on swine

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